I’ve written extensively about Global Airlines, the (highly questionable) “airline startup” that has a single Airbus A380, and wants to bring back the “golden age” of travel.
In the spring of 2025, the airline actually operated two roundtrip flights to New York out of Europe, for reasons that most of us couldn’t really make sense of. For that matter, this was part of a wet lease agreement with Portuguese charter company Hi-Fly, given that Global Airlines lacks its own operating certificate.
Shortly after the A380 operated those flights, it entered long term storage, as it needs to undergo heavy maintenance, which costs millions of dollars. The company’s founder, James Asquith, has suggested that this will happen, but blames delays on general industry constraints, which is a bit questionable.
To my knowledge, no progress has been made with heavy maintenance actually starting, but that hasn’t stopped Asquith from suggesting that the airline will launch flights to the Maldives before the end of 2026. Lol, okay. Have I mentioned that OMAAT Airlines may start flights to the moon before the end of 2026 as well?
Anyway, I provided an update on the current state of Global Airlines several months ago, but there are now some additional details…
Global Airlines dealing with yet another winding up petition
Earlier this year, I wrote about how Global Airlines had two winding up petitions filed against it, both since the A380 was put into storage. For those not familiar, a winding up petition is a legal proceeding filed by a creditor, typically seeking to force a company into compulsory liquidation.
As you’d expect, this can be a bit of a process, companies are often give more time to fix things, etc. However, the pressure is mounting.
Regarding the most recent winding up petition that was filed on May 29, 2026, we’ve now seen two hearings within the UK’s insolvencies and companies court regarding this case, with the first hearing being on July 15, and the second hearing being this week, on September 2.
While the results of these meetings aren’t made public, I have reason to believe that this could get very interesting in the next few weeks, before the end of September.
Keep in mind that earlier this year, OnlyFans co-founder Tom Stokely reportedly left the board of Global Airlines, and he was basically the most legitimate person associated with the company. Meanwhile former Global Airlines Chief Commercial Officer Richard Stephenson took to LinkedIn this week (literally exactly coinciding with the latest Global Airlines court battle) to share that he has “a new runway ahead.”
No shade, but it’s kind of hilarious that he’s trying to get a gig (“if you’re a CEO, Chair, investor or senior leader with an opportunity to grasp, a change to navigate or a particularly knotty problem that could benefit from an experienced and independent pair of eyes, I’d be very happy to talk”) while somehow trying to make his past few years of work sound successful. That requires an incredible lack of self-awareness… but I think that’s also a requirement to be involved in Global Airlines in any capacity?
There’s so much more to this story that will come out eventually
Let me just acknowledge that if you’re reading this casually and don’t understand the background, you might think “wow, you’re being really catty toward an entrepreneur just trying to launch a business.”
I can’t tell you how many dozens of hours I’ve spent researching every aspect of this operation, and talking to people involved. I’ll simply say that there’s so much beneath the surface here, and so many people who have invested millions in this operation with endless promises, and little to show for it.
Without skepticism, people would’ve just kept pouring money into this operation. There are all kinds of entrepreneurs trying to make an honest living, who deserve to be supported. This operation is… well… you can decide for yourself.
To Asquith’s credit, as I said all along, I never thought that A380 would ever fly with passengers. So the fact that they operated two trips before the plane had to go into heavy maintenance (even if the trip wasn’t on Global Airlines’ own air operator certificate) is more than I ever expected for the airline… congrats!
For what it’s worth, I had invited Asquith to have a conversation with me, and set the record straight on some points, but he’s not up for it.
Bottom line
Global Airlines is continuing to face court battles related to its winding up petition. We saw the latest petition filed in late May 2026, and we’ve now seen two additional hearings on this case since then, with the most recent being this week.
A winding up petition is intended to allow creditors to force a company into liquidation, and we’ll see if it proves successful this time around. The next few weeks could get very interesting.
What do you make of this Global Airlines situation?
Any article on Global or Global Ghana is deliciously fun reading.
I would’ve liked to see OMMAT interview Asquith too but he only wants to talk to certain mainstream media and lifestyle influencers. Basically people who prop up the narrative. He avoids Avgeeks, aviation YouTubers and anyone asking difficult questions. He’s enthusiastic and great at talking but when he keeps yapping about champagne, caviar, and limousines before getting certification you have wonder if he’s serious.
Ben, you just don't understand the vision. Imagine how exciting the forthcoming merger between Global Airlines and Global Ghana Airlines is going to be! This is the path to greatness and the standards of service offered at the Lagos hub will make Riyadh Air look like Ryanair. Just watch!
Where can we purchase the OMAT Airlines tickets?
As with almost every airline and founding and investing in it: this time it will be different.
...Right?
I would love to be in the founders' investors round for OMAAT Airlines.
All seats will be flat beds with large ottomans. There may or may not be doors. 😉 They’ll all be window seats with direct aisle access so nobody is disturbed when Ben needs the toilet. There’ll be free Starlink wifi for all and excellent espresso-based coffee drinks, including cold brew. Of course, every seat will have multiple personal air vents to blow air at you from any angle you desire. 😁
i cant believe they let this fly to begin with.....the FAA actually allowed it...
What exactly should FAA "not allow"? The flight was operated by an airline with valid AOC.
Indeed, as Samo states, I don’t think the FAA (or any other regulatory body) would have had any grounds to deny:
-A legitimate airline (HiFly);
-With a valid AOC;
-With the proper rights to operate to and from the US;
-To fly four charter flights to and from the US;
-On an aircraft with a valid airworthiness certificate.
@isaacC, Why do you think otherwise? And I specifically refer to the US because the FAA in particular has no actual jurisdiction elsewhere.
Of course someone will hire him. His con man and grift skills are in high demand these days. The fact that he bilked investors of millions of dollars over multiple years and is likely to get away with it is a feature of his resume, not something he's trying to hide.
The Trump administration will probably take him on.
So, uh, do OMAAT status members get first dibs on those moon trips?
Gonna need at least ‘OMAAT Diamond Galactic Services’ level status for those
I stand by my earlier prediction(s) that Asquith will be the first person who goes to prison as a result of this jumbo grift.
I’m 99% there with you! I 0.5% believe he’ll flee to a remote island where he can’t be extradited. And 0.25% believe he’ll successfully bribe the judge with free gaming class tickets and 0.25% believe fairies are real and will of course save the day for him. Tough odds there.
I'm just disappointed, that the A380 will not undergo heavy maintenance. Would have been nice for it, to fly another decade.
"OnlyFans co-founder Tom Stokely reportedly left the board of Global Airlines, and he was basically the most legitimate person associated with the company."
This phrase says so much about Global Airlines.... :)
So... you could say... the OF guy... 'pulled-out.' *ba dum tss*
Either way, we can watch investors... get 'screwed'... (I'll be here all week.)
Tom lasted longer than I thought he would've
Anyone dumb enough to have invested in this shambles, frankly, deserves what’s coming.
Thanks for staying on this story. The appetite for anti-grifter content is growing. We're not supposed to be mean to the people who fall for bs in the business or political space, but exposing and shaming grifters is fair game. Game on.
"We're not supposed to be mean to the people who fall for bs in the...political space..."
Except for fat orange Nazi voters. They fell for BS in the political space and they deserve people being "mean" to them. Especially the ones who thought that the cruelty would only be meted out to "others" and not THEM.
For all of his issues, I would still vote for him over Hillary, Biden or Kamala.
As far as falling for BS, perhaps you should look at the Democrat party supporting a failed political system (socialism) that has failed everywhere it's been tried.
For all of his issues, I'd vote for Trump again over Hillary, Biden or Kamala.
If you want to talk about falling for BS issues, perhaps you should look at dems falling for socialism, which is a economic system that has failed everywhere it's been tried.
Last I recall, this current hypocritical govt. is more socialistic than any govt. in recent history. From investing in private companies (thus choosing winner and losers and disrupting free market forces) to interventions to stabilize prices (such as oil, etc.) to federal contracts structured to support specific industries. Those certainly socialistic behaviors.
Apropos, Medicare, Social Security socialized programs.
This is much of the new CEO class. Scummy but usually from an Ivy League background heavily trained on how to make a quick buck and then flee. These used to be the seedy flim flam used car sales man types. But they've improved their image with fancy degrees from prestigious universities, lots of meaningless but to the gullible impressive, word salads and often being a seen as a champion for the "little guy and...
This is much of the new CEO class. Scummy but usually from an Ivy League background heavily trained on how to make a quick buck and then flee. These used to be the seedy flim flam used car sales man types. But they've improved their image with fancy degrees from prestigious universities, lots of meaningless but to the gullible impressive, word salads and often being a seen as a champion for the "little guy and diversity."
Only Fans Cofounder on the board would fit right into this image.
I'm eagerly awaiting the Netflix special.
too bad Ben didn't get to fly Global, otherwise he would have been a great addition to the documentary :(
Ben not reviewing Global Airlines is crime of the century.
Can't agree more.
@Samo, the 1900s had Harry K Thaw, we have this.
As Warren Buffett noted, "only when the tide goes out do you discover who has been swimming naked." We're already living in a "golden age" ...of grifting. Yet, this era makes the original Gilded Age look quaint. At least 19th-century robber barons built actual railroads. Today’s version includes pretending a failing shoe brand is a now "AI company" (Allbirds), or, as in this case, parking a broken A380 in the south of France and calling...
As Warren Buffett noted, "only when the tide goes out do you discover who has been swimming naked." We're already living in a "golden age" ...of grifting. Yet, this era makes the original Gilded Age look quaint. At least 19th-century robber barons built actual railroads. Today’s version includes pretending a failing shoe brand is a now "AI company" (Allbirds), or, as in this case, parking a broken A380 in the south of France and calling it a 'luxury airline.' At some point, the hype don't work no more, and people want their money back (but it's usually too late, then). Anyway, thanks as usual for muckraking on these jokers. Ooh, do Boom Supersonic, next! *watches tide go out*
“At least 19th-century robber barons built actual railroads.”
And the airlines can thank their successors for the Railway Labor Act, to boot. ;)
Not from the US so wasn't aware of what happened to Allbirds! Had a quick google (well ironically AI). Wow